Everyone knows a real estate agent from church, a neighbor, a family member. An agent is an agent; right? Before you select an agent, interview agents and make sure they will represent your best interest throughout the real estate transaction. The following highlights some things to look for and questions to ask. Rather than yes or no questions, consider open-ended, behavioral based questions.
Experience
Real estate is a commission-based business. It is difficult for an agent to sustain for long by providing terrible service. Each transaction is a learning experience. No two are the same. The more transactions an agent has under their belt, the better equipped they are to handle bumps in the road. Also, an agent should know when they are in over their head and seek assistance from someone with more experience rather than “fake it till they make it.”
Example of interview questions:
• “give me an example of your most difficult transaction and how you overcame the obstacles to close the transaction.”
• “give me an example of a time when you didn’t know the answer. How did you go about getting the information to address the question?”
Number of Clients
You want to know that your agent is available for you. If an agent is working too many clients at one time or does real estate as a second job or hobby, their responsiveness to your calls, texts, or emails may not meet your expectations.
Example of interview questions:
• “how many client transactions do you manage at any given time?”
• “give me an example of a time when you delegated work to another agent or your assistant in order to keep the best interest of your clients your top priority.”
• “is real estate your full-time job?”
Ethical and Professional
REALTORS® pledge themselves to protect and promote the interests of their client (NAR 2019). This obligation to the client is primary, but it does not relieve REALTORS® of their obligation to treat all parties honestly. When serving a buyer, seller, landlord, tenant or other party in a non-agency capacity, REALTORS® remain obligated to treat all parties honestly. At Right Size Realty, we gauge our success not by our sales, but by others’ satisfaction with our services.
Example of interview questions:
• “give me an example of a time when you felt you were put in a position to potentially violate the REALTOR code of ethics. What did you do? What was the outcome?”
• “can you share an example of a time when you were obligated to disclose information that you knew could potentially end the transaction?”
Recommended Vendor List
An experienced agent should have a list of trusted vendors. This includes lenders, contractors, inspectors, etc. that you may choose from should you need to. Right Size Realty has our list of trusted vendors on our website and it is updated frequently.
Example of interview questions:
• “can you share your list of trusted vendors that I can access during this transaction?”
Right Size Realty takes pride in operating with the utmost integrity, professionalism, and abiding by the NAR REALTOR code of ethics. If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate, please include us in your list of agents to interview.
References:
Boss, R. (January 24, 2017). 10 Essential Questions for Choosing a Real Estate Agent. Retrieved from: https://realestate.usnews.com/real-estate/articles/10-essential-questions-for-choosing-a-real-estate-agent
National Association of REALTOR (NAR) (2019). 2019 Code of Ethics & Standards of Practice. Retrieved from: https://www.nar.realtor/about-nar/governing-documents/code-of-ethics/2019-code-of-ethics-standards-of-practice